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A Westside stabbing Thursday evening sent a 17-year-old male to the hospital. The Santa Barbara Police Department received a call at 7:50 p.m. that a stabbing occurred on the 1300 block of Chino Street. Shortly thereafter, they received a call about females fighting on the corner San Andreas and Anapamu streets.

The suspects fled, some in a car on which the police came up behind by Rancheria and Ladera. At that point, the car took off and, according to police, hit a toddler boy while pulling into a driveway on the 300 block of Ladera. “The little boy didn’t appear to be injured,” said police spokesperson Eric Beecher.

There are four suspects in custody, all male, two juvenile, two adult. Beecher said the charges included driving without a license, aggravated trespass (when one suspect ran into an apartment), resisting arrest, felony hit and run, attempted murder, and probation violation. All four were given gang enhancements.

While the stabbing took place right next to the Westside Boys & Girls Club, the executive director of the county’s clubs, Gina Carbajal, said in a statement, “The incident did not occur on the property nor was anyone involved a member of any United Boys & Girls Clubs. The Club was closed at the time. … Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims who were injured last night and their families.”

The stabbing victim – who sustained multiple wounds – received surgery Thursday night and is currently in serious condition, said Beecher.

The insurance of the injured person may pay but it depends on the insurance. If the injured is uninsured, then the costs fall to the hospital to collect. Medicaid (Medi-Cal) covers emergency services but the perpetrators do not pay for the costs if that is your question. Medicaid will not compensate the medical providers for the total cost of the services.